


Ikea

by gutsandglitter



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Fluff, IKEA, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-20
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-24 02:37:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/934235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gutsandglitter/pseuds/gutsandglitter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny takes CJ to Ikea for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ikea

"I still don’t get why you think this is necessary."

Danny sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist. “We’re both grownups, we’ve both been grownups for some time now-“

“Watch it buddy.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird that neither of us has owned a dining room table before?”

CJ sighed. “I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve eaten dinner at home in the past eight years. All of those times I was standing over the sink and I think I was crying for half of them. Purchasing a dining room table has never once crossed my mind.”

Danny looked at her and furrowed his brow. “Three things. One, that is the saddest thing I have ever heard. Two, you’re not the busiest woman in the world anymore. You might have to face the very real prospect of having to eat dinner at home once in a while and preferably not while crying over the sink. Three, we’re moving in together and this is one of those things you’re supposed to do when you move in with someone. I read that somewhere.”

CJ quirked her mouth into a smile. She knew Danny was trying, and he had made more than enough sacrifices for her. She could do this for him.

“Okay. Let’s do this.”

Danny grinned that stupid little boy grin of his that always made CJ’s stomach somersault. He grabbed her hand and tugged her through the industrial doors. 

“Welcome to IKEA!” a chipper twenty-something in a blue and yellow polo shirt squeaked. Her bright pink ponytail bounced with it’s owner’s enthusiasm.

“It’s her first time,” Danny said, gesturing to CJ.

The girl looked like Christmas had come early. “Oh golly, are you in for a treat!” she chirped. 

Danny steered CJ over to bye escalator. CJ peered at a nearby poster. “They serve food here? Why do they serve food here?”

“Because God loves us and wants us to be happy. And happiness is a plate of Swedish meatballs.”

CJ wrinkled her nose as they stepped off the escalator onto the showroom floor.

Danny took her hand in his. “Come with me, and you’ll be in a world of Swedish innovation,” he crooned into her ear.

CJ giggled and blushed. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought.

***

Unfortunately after a solid half hour wandering around the showroom, things were even worse than she had thought. The florescent lighting was giving her a headache, she kept nearly tripping over small unattended children, and everywhere she looked there were couples bickering.

“How about this one?” Danny offered. “The darker wood would look really good with the green dining room walls.”

“It’s way too big for just the two of us,” she sighed. An obese man in a white tank top pushed past her, nearly knocking her off her feet. “Jesu Christo was this a stupid idea!” she snarled.

“Hey now,” Danny said tiredly. “C’mon. Just sit down at this table for a minute will you?” He gently eased her into one of the plush dining chairs around the table. He sat down across from her and took her hand once more. “Just tune all of this out for a second and picture having dinner at this table.”

“It’s too big for just the two of us.”

“Yeah, but imagine us having people over for dinner. Chris and Carol and Josh and Donna and whoever. We can do that now, be the kind of couple that has people over for dinner. This is a new phase in our lives.”

CJ could really picture it. Toby’s face flushed from just a tiny bit too much wine, Carol begging Donna to share her green bean casserole recipe. She and Danny playing footsie under the table…

“Or,” he said slowly, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. “We don’t have to have people over. But um, eventually, not right now or any time soon or anything…we could possibly have another reason to want a dining room table that seats more than two.” He looked down at the table and blushed slightly.

CJ looked at him blank for a few moments before it clicked. Her stomach did another weird somersault. She was silent, though she was sure Danny could hear how fast her heart was pounding.

He looked up at her and shook his head. “Never mind. You’re right, this was a stupid idea.” He stood up from the table and took a step away.

“I want this table!” CJ blurted, a little too loudly.

Danny looked at her.

She stood up. “I want this table,” she repeated. “I want…I want to have the bigger dining room table. With you,” she added lamely.

Danny quirked an eyebrow at her. “You do realize we’re not talking about the table anymore right?”

She nodded.

There was a beat, then Danny’s face broke into the largest grin she had ever seen. He pulled her into a bear hug and swung her around in a circle.

She let out a shriek and threw her arms around his neck. He set her down and kissed her deeply. 

A moment later they broke apart and Danny tucked a lose lock of CJ’s hair behind her ear. 

She felt giddy and happier than she had been in a long time. “So,” she said breathlessly. “What’s next?”

Danny grinned mischievously. “The warehouse.”


End file.
